Clothesline post



April 23, 1946. J. o. SWANSON 23 9 CLOTHES LINE POST Filed May -12, 1944 I grill/111111111111 imam p If /6\' i /7 Patented Apr. 23, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHESLlNE POST Joseph 0. Swanson, J ackson County, Mo. Y Application May 12, 1944, Serial No: 535327 Claims. (01. 211119.10) t and in which the line tensioning member is rotatable for winding. the line upon it.

Another object is to produce a clothes line post i.

characterized as stated, in which the member, upon which the line is wound, is detachable from the other member .for disposal at a place where the wound-up line is protected from deleterious weather conditions.

Another object is to provide a clothes line post of the character set forth, of simple, strong, dur able and inexpensive construction which canbe manipulated by one person easily and quickly. With the objects mentioned in view, the inventionconsists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations. of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed; and in rder that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of a clothes line. post embodying the invention, thetwo members of the post being disposed in interlocked relation.

Figure 2 is a fragmental elevation disclosing the upper member in raised position and free to berevolvedfor tensioning the clothes linear for winding it up. Figure 3 is a full-size horizontal section in the plane of the line where attached to the post.. A

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line I-V-IV of Figure 2. V

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line V-'-V of Figure 1. Referring now to thedetail construction of the post, I designates a vertical tubular member havinglits lower end embedded in a concrete base 2, the connection with the base being made permanent and stronger by the use of a cross-rod 3 extending through the member and also embedded in the concrete.

The upper end of member i is provided with one or more notches 4, and is reinforced or strengthened against spreading at such end by a collar 5 welded or otherwise secured in place and which spans or bridges said notch or notches. The upper member 6 is a tubular section or pipe for fitting within member I telescopically but is limited in its downward adjustment th'erein as hereinafter appears, and is of length to carry a clothes line at a height within convenient reach of a person of average height.

Mounted for short vertical and for slight rotatablemovement on member 6, is a sleeve 1 of about the same diameteras memberl,-and normally resting thereon. The sleeve has one or more depending t'ongues8 for normal engagement with the notch or notches. 4, which notches and said tongues will be hereinafter referred to in the singular. The sleevevhas an external flange 9 at its upper end for service as a handle, and also h'as a right-angle sl t ll, of which one arm is vertical and the other horizontal, and said slot is en gaged by a cross-pin l0 secured on member 6,

apply upward pressure on the sleeve, this lifting action preferably occurring when the cross-pin has been disposed in the horizontal arm of the slot, as in such position the lift of the member 6 and the sleeve need beonly sufiicient to barely withdraw the tongue 8 from the notch 4. While thus upheld, thesleeve can be turned on member 6 enough to, dispose tongue 8 out of registration with notch 4. Member 6 can then be released as it finds support through the cross-pin, on sleeve'l, supported in turn upon member I, as shown by Figure. 2. As at such time, assuming the crossepin is wholly within the horizontal arm of the slot ll, a slight rotation of the sleeve on member 6, will result in .vertically aligning the tongue with the notch 4, so that the ensuing drop of the member 6 will .eiiect relocking of the sleeve by the'reengagement of the tongue with the notch and prevent rotation of the member to a greater extent than the length of the horizontal arm of the slot, as before stated. When sleeve 6 is unlocked from member I, as shown by Figure 2, and member 6 turned to wind upon it a clothes line or the like, suflicient pressure should be applied upward to retain the tongue in its elevated position to guard against relocking action. If member 6 is turned rapidly no such pressure will be required, as the tongue will jump across the notch. When the line is stretched to the degree desired, the rotation is arrested and the tongue permitted to reengage the notch.

When it is desired to wind up a clothes line upon the upper member or to stretch or tension such line, the upper member when in unlocked relation to the lower fixed or permanent member, is turned or revolved. This can be done easily when the line is loose but when stretched between member 6 and any suitable support at its opposite end, considerable force must be applied, and to appl such force without undue exertion, the member is equipped with a lever l2, pivotally connected at l3, to and between arms 14 of a collar i5, rigidly secured upon the member within convenient reach of a person standing on the ground. T be out of the way the lever is swung down to inoperative position, as in Figure 1, from the raised or operative position shown in Figure 2.

To facilitate the attachment of a clothes line to the post, a tube I6 is fitted diametrically through" member 6, and the line L, can be threaded through said tube, but to protect the line against injury or undue wear by frietienal abrasion onthe ends of such tube when turning member to wind up a loose or taut line, the ends of the tube are swaged or ilared and rounded toprovide smooth surfaces for contact by the line, as at I1.

To exclude rain from the member 6, a cap screw I8 is secured to the top of said member and also serves to clamp in place a cross rod is fitted through the member above the line, so that when the line is being wound upon the member 6, none of the portions being coiled can slip or ride ofi the top of the member and put the operator to considerable trouble to retrieve such uncontrolled coils. The end of the line after bein threaded through the tube l6, may be fastened to member 6 direct, or to the rod I9, as indicated in Figure 1.

To preserve the line in good condition when not in service, the detachment of member 6 from member i, is of importance, as it, with the line wound up, can be stored in a place inaccessible to rain, snow, and flying dirt.

From the above description and drawing it will be apparent that I have produced a clothes line post embodying the features of advantage set forth as objectives, and I reserve the right to such modifications as properly fall withi the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A clothes line post comprising two members for fitting telescopically together and adapted for relative rotation, means mounted for adjust ment endwise and rotatively on one of said members and adapted for bearing endwise on and in interlocking engagement with the ther member to prevent relative rotation of said members, a lever for revolving one of said members and the first-named means when the latter is moved end.- wise from interlocking engagement with the other member, and a tube extending crosswise through the lever-carrying member, for receiving a clothes line.

2. A clothes line post comprising a lower tubular member and an upper cylindrical member fitting telescopically and rotatively in the lower member, a sleeve having limited movement vertically and rotatably on the upper member and engageable with a tongue and notch relation with the lower member and resting on the latter, the sleeve and upper cylindrical member having a pin-and-angl slot connection for limiting relative vertical and rotatable movement between the sleeve and the said upper cylindrical member, the engagement of the tongue and notch inhibiting rotation of the sleeve relative to the lower tubular member.

3. A clothes line post comprising a lower tubular member and an upper cylindrical member fitting telescopically and rotatably in the lower member, the lower member having a notch in its upper end, a sleeve fitting on the upper member and normally resting on the lower member and provided with a depending tongue for engaging said notch, the upper member and said sleeve a i a in mns e ot conne ticn ermi ting but limiting relative endwise and rotative movement between said upper cylindrical mem her and said sleeve; a line-receiving tube extending crosswise through the said upper cylindrical member, a cross-rod extending through and outward from the upper. member in a plain above that of the line-receiving tube, and a cap screw closing the upper end of the upper member and clamping the cross-rod to said member.

4. A clothes line post comprising two members fitting telescopically together and adapted for relative endwise and. rotatable movement, and a sleeve permanently mounted on the inner telescopic member and for bearing endwise on the other member, the sleeve and inner telescopic member having a pin-and-angle slot connection for limiting vertical and rotative adjustment of the sleeve on said inner member; said sleeve and the outer telescopic member having disengageable tongue and notch means for interlocking engagement to prevent rotation of the sleeve when said means are engaged with each other, the sleeve and the inner member, when said means are disengaged, being free to turn together for winding 0r unwindingmovement.

5. A clothes line post comprising two members fitting telescopicall together, the inner one being adapted for rotative and endwise movement, and having above the outer member an outwardly-projecting pin, and the latter a notch in its upper end, a sleeve fitting on the inner member and having an angle slot receiving said pin, said sleeve having a depending tongue for engaging said notch, and a handle for raising the inner member until the said tongue if engaged with said notch, is withdrawn therefrom and with the inner member free to be revolved by said handle.

- JOSEPH O. SWANSON. 

